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An Enzymatic Method for Harvesting Functional Melanosomes after Keratin Extraction: Maximizing Resource Recovery from Human Hair

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Abstract

Hair contains about 80% keratins and 1–3% melanin packaged in melanosomes. Both of these are high-value and functional raw materials that have potential applications in wide-ranging fields. While keratin extraction has been widely refined, efficient methods of melanosome extraction are limited. The extraction of melanosomes requires complete removal of keratin, thus combining keratin extraction and melanosome isolation is logical. Herein, a successive process to harvest melanosomes after keratin extraction from human hair waste was developed. The yield of melanosomes was about 1.3% of the total hair mass. The structure of harvested melanosomes is well preserved based on surface morphology and interior ultrastructural observations using electron microscopy. The chemical structure, ultraviolet (UV)-filtering ability, and thermal stability of the melanosomes are examined to demonstrate preservation of native functions. Our strategy of combining melanosome isolation with keratin extraction is shown to be effective and significantly improves the total resource recovery efficiency from human hair waste.

Graphic Abstract

Effective harvesting of functional melanosomes following keratin extraction from human hair.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, K.W.N.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the NTU Center of High Field NMR Spectroscopy and Imaging and the Facility for Analysis, Characterization, Testing and Simulation (FACTS), for their support in ss 13C NMR experiments and electron microscopy analysis.

Funding

This research was supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) under its Acne and Sebaceous Gland Program & Wound Care Innovation for the Tropics IAF-PP (Grant Nos. H17/01/a0/008 & H17/01/a0/0L9), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51673087), and the China Scholarship Council (Grant No.201906790039 to N.Z.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Nan Zhang, Hui Ying Lai, Archana Gautam, Darien Yu De Kwek, Yibing Dong & Kee Woei Ng

  2. Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textile, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Ave, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China

    Nan Zhang & Qiang Wang

  3. Environmental Chemistry and Materials Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, CleanTech One, Singapore, 637141, Singapore

    Kee Woei Ng

  4. Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Kee Woei Ng

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  1. Nan Zhang
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Zhang, N., Lai, H.Y., Gautam, A. et al. An Enzymatic Method for Harvesting Functional Melanosomes after Keratin Extraction: Maximizing Resource Recovery from Human Hair. J Polym Environ 30, 1045–1054 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-021-02246-8

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